Before Tom Knight’s final season at Notre Dame begins this fall, he took a trip to Estonia as a member of the East Coast All-Stars for the Four Nations Cup.

“It was a great opportunity to travel overseas and see what shape my game was in” said Knight. “I played pretty well while over in Estonia and continued to get better in each passing game.”

Knight had the opportunity to play alongside Syracuse’s Rakeem Christmas, Louisville’s Russ Smith and West Virginia’s Eron Harris, to name a few.

“Getting the chance to suit up with some guys I’ve played against in (BIG EAST) league play was good” Knight stated. “The competition helps me see what I need to do during the off-season to better my game.”

Knight and the East Coast All-Stars had the opportunity to win the Four Nations Cup heading into the final game but fell in their last contest, eventually pushing them to the third-place slot based on a point-differential tiebreaker.

Not known to many, the international rules (FIBA) and the game are different than in the United States. Not only is the three-point line shorter than the NBA by a foot and the lane larger, you can also touch the ball the instant after it bounces off the room.

“The European rules and style of play was the biggest change for me in the Four Nations Cup” said Knight. “The multiple ball screens on each possession that you set on the offensive end or have to get through on the defensive side of the ball are tough. The passing from the European teams was amazing. They are just so good at moving the ball.”

Knight had the opportunity to meet a distant family member from his family’s homeland when he was over there as she traveled to Estonia to see him play.

“It was great getting to meet her in the motherland” Knight stated. “The opportunity to have her come and see me play was something I never thought would happen.”

Knight, who was named Notre Dame’s Most Improved Player last season, started the final 16 games of the 2012-13 season and appeared in 28 contests during the year. Knight averaged career bests of 8.3 points and 3.8 rebounds playing 17.5 minutes per game. He also shot 48.9 percent from the field as he connected on 64 of his 131 field goal attempts.

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